Preview — Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous
by Manu Joseph

Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous

On the day that Hindu nationalists have won a spectacular election victory, a building collapses in Mumbai. The rescue operation finds a single survivor in the debris. The only person able to reach him is Akhila Iyer, a medical student who is also a notorious social media prankster. She finds him mumbling in delirium that two people are on their way to carry out a terror aOn the day that Hindu nationalists have won a spectacular election victory, a building collapses in Mumbai. The rescue operation finds a single survivor in the debris. The only person able to reach him is Akhila Iyer, a medical student who is also a notorious social media prankster. She finds him mumbling in delirium that two people are on their way to carry out a terror attack. Elsewhere, a young intelligence agent, Mukundan, is assigned to shadow the two terror suspects....more

Community Reviews

There are two Manu Josephs. One, Manu the author. Two, Manu the journalist. The first is an inspiration while the second is a warning. In his previous two books, Manu the journalist took a backseat and Manu the author – capable of staining the blank page with words of timeless wisdom - shone through. In this book, however, exactly the opposite has happened.

First and foremost, this book should be deprived of its “fiction” tag. The only fictional element here is the lame name changes done to (bareThere are two Manu Josephs. One, Manu the author. Two, Manu the journalist. The first is an inspiration while the second is a warning. In his previous two books, Manu the journalist took a backseat and Manu the author – capable of staining the blank page with words of timeless wisdom - shone through. In this book, however, exactly the opposite has happened.

First and foremost, this book should be deprived of its “fiction” tag. The only fictional element here is the lame name changes done to (barely) mask the identity of well known, real-life public figures. This book is essentially an extended, heavily biased, opinion piece laying out the author’s thoughts on a particular case that rocked India over a decade back, and continues to emit aftershocks. Although I will avoid spoilers, anyone with a fair command on current affairs will be able to guess the real-life equivalents of the book’s characters and its plot, just a few pages into it.

The book’s best part – the author’s quintessential, though grossly generalizing, barbs against human rights activists – also turns out to be its most ironic. In presenting a completely one-sided view of important real-life events and the people involved in it, while ignoring all evidence to the contrary, Manu exposes himself as an activist, and perhaps a cowardly one at that, for his activism hides in the garb of fiction. I should mention here that asking tough questions is the job of a journalist, but asking them in a way so as to turn public opinion favourable to one’s own is not only irresponsible, but also dangerous. But then, as I said, Manu the journalist is a warning.

Of course, not everything about the book is bad. Despite all his biases, it's highly admirable that for Manu, there are no holy cows, not even Raghuram Rajan. The interviews Akhila conducts with some of the most towering personalities of our times are surreal and hilarious. Like his previous works, this book has Manu’s signatures – underdog male characters, strong female characters, and of course, words of timeless wisdom. Although the beginning seems jagged due to far too many interjections by the author’s voice, it soon picks up pace and reads like a thriller. It’s a given that the enjoyment readers gets out of this book will be directly proportional to their ignorance about the goings-on of the world. The plot twist towards the end is admirable, too.

I’ll leave you with some gems that only Manu is capable of writing:

“Hope is a premonition of defeat”

“There is no evidence of Damodarbhai’s guilt except one. Hindus adore him and they can’t explain why.”

“Damodarbhai is not right, Damodarbhai is not wrong. He is a secret thought that people have already thought.”

“You can defame love by calling it madness, which only confirms its existence.”

A character’s response when his daughter asks him why he stays in India despite disliking it so much - “India is a wound. But it is not a wound like a whiplash. It is a wound, like a spouse.”

“Sweetheart, I’ll always be yours because no one else might want me or I might be too frightened to stray, for that is what faithful men are, unwanted or cowards.”

Wait, I forgot to ask the most important question. Considering the entire book is based on true events, what if the man under the rubble turns out real, too? If he does, I will go back the very day and change this review, as well as my thoughts on Manu the journalist. Till then, I hope to read more of Manu the author....more

4.5/5 "There r faces that only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned."The release of this book kept getting delayed and I would check every couple of days to see whether it is available. Bought it at 8 mins after midnight4.5/5 "There r faces that only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned."The release of this book kept getting delayed and I would check every couple of days to see whether it is available. Bought it at 8 mins after midnight and must have been the first one to buy a Kindle edition. And it was worth it.Manu Joseph is a brilliant author whose satire will make u laugh, then u will pause and reflect; Many times in a book. And while Joseph said that courage is either foolish or ignorant, I think this book was extremely courageous and is neither. Kudos !...more

"There are faces that only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned."

This quote from the book explains a lot about what it has in store for the readers. I have a lot of things I want to talk specifically about, specially the"There are faces that only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned."

This quote from the book explains a lot about what it has in store for the readers. I have a lot of things I want to talk specifically about, specially the political instances referred. But maybe in a detailed post later.

For now, I'd like to share my thoughts on it and why this book isn't for everyone, in a video.

3.5 stars rounded to 3. When you pick up a book with great expectations you are being unfair to the author's creativity. This book by Manu Joseph stays close to the journalist in him than on the human character expert that made us love him. Standalone, this book is readable, but not one that you want to become a brand ambassador.

Miss Laila Armed and Dangerous could be a satire or a thinly veiled soft expose. Whichever be the case, the book knows to tell a good story. Akhila Iyer, a standup comed3.5 stars rounded to 3. When you pick up a book with great expectations you are being unfair to the author's creativity. This book by Manu Joseph stays close to the journalist in him than on the human character expert that made us love him. Standalone, this book is readable, but not one that you want to become a brand ambassador.

Miss Laila Armed and Dangerous could be a satire or a thinly veiled soft expose. Whichever be the case, the book knows to tell a good story. Akhila Iyer, a standup comedian, who takes on the leftist agenda through pranks and who has recently made fun on the Sangh's demigod DaMo is taught a lesson by the goons. The same day a building in Mumbai collapses and DaMo sweeps the elections. A lone survivor in the building is ranting about a terror plot involving Jamal and Laila and Akhila is the conduit between the trapped man and the police above. It becomes a thriller from chapter 5 onwards.

At a subliminal level, it takes on the ideological aspects of activism of any kind. We tend to vilify any threats to our identity be it minority, independent women, western influences, reservation/meritocracy - you name it. In one of the clever chapters towards the end, Manu Joseph demonstrates this activism with a wailing baby in an aircraft and the business class divide.

Aside, his earlier two books were enmeshed with quotes that exhibited brilliant wit and human character. This was few and far in between in this book primarily due to the agenda for an author which is to shock you than entertain you. And if you are someone with limited tolerance - to mock you.

There were some gems along the way. Sample this"There are faces only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned"

Too few witty lines and, to me, the book gets buried in the expectations from the author in him. Readable but I wish it had been remarkable.

edit: Read the case account of Ishrat Jahan encounter and new found respect for the theme!...more

3.5 starsWith Illicit happiness of other people and Serious men, Manu Joseph has easily become one of my favourite contemporary Indian authors. Hence I pounced upon this book as soon as I came to know of it. This one ranks beneath the above 2 novels, but above Lost Libido and other pulp fiction, his collection of short stories.This novel is about - a plucky young news reporter/ vlogger wbo is not afraid to caricature and publicly humiliate all pompous public figures, irrespective of their caste3.5 starsWith Illicit happiness of other people and Serious men, Manu Joseph has easily become one of my favourite contemporary Indian authors. Hence I pounced upon this book as soon as I came to know of it. This one ranks beneath the above 2 novels, but above Lost Libido and other pulp fiction, his collection of short stories.This novel is about - a plucky young news reporter/ vlogger wbo is not afraid to caricature and publicly humiliate all pompous public figures, irrespective of their caste or political beliefs. After all she lost her mother to misplaced communist idealism- Mukundan, a young police in the CBI who wants to maintain his work ethics-Laila, a 19 year old Muslim girl who is burdened with a widowed mother and half a dozen younger siblings whom she has to support. Jamal, her employer.- various political bigwigs who can be very well identified with living personae with a little imagination.The past and present collude and we get s fast paced story set in the premises of a collapsed low cost building in Mumbai .

Was a quick read. Enjoyed most parts.But if one is new to Manu Joseph, please read the other two books first....more

3rd November:3.5 stars The book reads well and makes for a pacy, interesting story but truth be told, I didn't get my closure with it by the end of the book. (and I wanted to read more about the actual incident. Ishrat Jahan Case - if you're curious too.)

I'm all in for satire in stories and this is precisely what works for me in Manu Joseph's writings. That said, the story as a whole felt incomplete, it being a writing on a real life encounter case - I guess there will be loose ends as there are3rd November:3.5 stars The book reads well and makes for a pacy, interesting story but truth be told, I didn't get my closure with it by the end of the book. (and I wanted to read more about the actual incident. Ishrat Jahan Case - if you're curious too.)

I'm all in for satire in stories and this is precisely what works for me in Manu Joseph's writings. That said, the story as a whole felt incomplete, it being a writing on a real life encounter case - I guess there will be loose ends as there are limits to both journalism and investigation. I didn't hate it, I just didn't love it as much as I loved The Illicit Happiness of Other People.

~End of review~

I've read in one of the reviews here that they would love to know if Mukundan too is based on a real life character. I would like to believe that his character is inspired by the writer's own experience with the incident.

(view spoiler)[ It's been more than a decade and here he is, writing about the incident, isn't that what Mukundan does throughout the story too, recall the incident as if it was just happening then? No?Just me then. (hide spoiler)]

22nd October:

Saving rating/review for later.

This being a writing inspired by/loosely based on a real incident I do not have an idea about, it is only fair to get acquainted at least a little about the incident before I review the book for its story.

As a social and political satire, it hits all the chords it is meant to....more

Miss Laila is the sort of book where you don't really know with which side the authors sympathy lies. The novel trapezes across a few contemporary events in Indian society like the Ishrat Jahan encounter killing, the Gujarat earthquake and the ascent of Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalists. The characters include one of Joseph's best creations - Akhila Iyer, a female prankster who makes videos that poke fun at prominent personalities (especially liberals).

Manu Joseph observes everything witMiss Laila is the sort of book where you don't really know with which side the authors sympathy lies. The novel trapezes across a few contemporary events in Indian society like the Ishrat Jahan encounter killing, the Gujarat earthquake and the ascent of Narendra Modi and the Hindu nationalists. The characters include one of Joseph's best creations - Akhila Iyer, a female prankster who makes videos that poke fun at prominent personalities (especially liberals).

Manu Joseph observes everything with an air of serious drollness. He is not someone who would write long pointless articles about the emergence of fascism, that merely state the obvious. His commentary on the rise of Modi is the best I have read. He says that evil is an equal opportunity hiring place where the biggest asshole rises to the top (Modi, Trump etc). While the good is a well entrenched network where only the duds with connections seem to rise to the top (Rahul Gandhi, Hilary Clinton etc).

Manu Joseph's villains are the activists and social justice warriors. The character Akhila Iyer could well be a mouthpiece for Manu Joseph's views about Indian society. My review might suggest that Manu Joseph sympathizes with the Hindu right wing. He does not. He is not Paul Joseph Watson. He is asking for a higher standard to judge liberals.

Manu Joseph's two earlier novels had elements of genre fiction. Serious Men was like a heist thriller. The Illicit Happiness of Other People had an investigation into a suicide. Miss Laila has a tense car chase/pursuit at its center.

Miss Laila is a terrific thriller with interesting and original views about Indian society. Manu Joseph is the best writer in India today. Here is a man who chooses his words carefully. Never does a trite remark or sentence escapes from his pen. It is almost as if he is serving literature and not humanity or some ideology....more

I would have given this a three-star rating after the first 50 pages or so. The writing was good, if a little rambly. The author's predisposition to poke fun at both sides of the political spectrum shone through at times, while at others it felt a bit flat and forced. Some of the ideas and musing were interesting, while others just too tangential to the flow of the narrative.

Well, well, Manu, I thought, where are you going with this.

As if in response, the writing shifted up another gear. WithoutI would have given this a three-star rating after the first 50 pages or so. The writing was good, if a little rambly. The author's predisposition to poke fun at both sides of the political spectrum shone through at times, while at others it felt a bit flat and forced. Some of the ideas and musing were interesting, while others just too tangential to the flow of the narrative.

Well, well, Manu, I thought, where are you going with this.

As if in response, the writing shifted up another gear. Without realising it, I was drawn into the narrative, pulling curiously at the little threads that he'd left as breadcrumbs for me to follow. There was Akhila, instigator and prankster; there was the Hindu Patriarch, Professor Vaid, analysing her pranks in context with the larger sociopolitical spectrum; there was the poor bastard trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building; there was Jamal, a suspect terrorist and Laila's boss; there was Mukundan, the IB officer following Jamal; there was Alisha (I could be getting the name wrong here), Laila's little sister and her closest confidante; there was Bheem, the leader of the Beards and a staunch Hindutva flagbearer who featured in the good books of Damodarbhai, ex-CM of Gujarat and the would-be PM of the country.

And then there was Laila Raza - the titular character, but always shown through the eyes of someone else. Her hopes, her dreams, her thoughts, her actions are all from the perspective of the people narrating it, coloured by their perception of who she is. It was a curious device to employ, this non-subjective representation. It made you think you knew who Laila was, and know you didn't. Not really.

The story progresses, and all the loose ends are tied up in a gangbanger of an ending. The climax literally swept me off my feet. The thinly-veiled satire - you know which real-life person each character (apart from Akhila and Mukundan, I guess) is supposed to represent - brings a haunting, biting perspective to a highly-publicised police encounter that is still unresolved, and is by now mired in so many claim and counterclaims that it is difficult to identify what is truth and what isn't. Manu Joseph pulls no punches when he delivers his verdict of guilty on everyone involved - the law enforcement, the government, the media, the social activists, the facist right-wingers, the liberal left-wingers.

This is such a lovely book - fast-paced, beautifully written, with characters that stay in your heart for a long time. Set in an India that you will instantly recognize as your own, the characters of Akhila - an independant, edgy doctor who plays the most hilarious social media pranks on stuffed egoes, and the beautiful, vulnerable Laila who is on a journey that is fraught with all sorts of possibilities, are possibly the most interesting women characters written in an Indian novel.

" One reason why the Muslim population is growing faster than the Hindu, Damodarbhai would never say it out loud, is that Muslims don't kill their girls in the womb.".Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous takes on as a thriller that unfolds during the course of a day. Miss Akhila Iyer, an aware young lady with a knack of getting into trouble, finds herself conveying information from a delirious man trapped under a collapsed building. He is giving out real time movements of a Muslim couple which leaves" One reason why the Muslim population is growing faster than the Hindu, Damodarbhai would never say it out loud, is that Muslims don't kill their girls in the womb.".Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous takes on as a thriller that unfolds during the course of a day. Miss Akhila Iyer, an aware young lady with a knack of getting into trouble, finds herself conveying information from a delirious man trapped under a collapsed building. He is giving out real time movements of a Muslim couple which leaves everyone baffled.The backdrop of the narrative is set in contemporary India wherein a single colossal man, Damodarbhai, holds immense influence over a country going saffron.There are small chapters within the main plot which showcase frightening influence of unchecked power. If you've been following recent developments in our society, you'll know precisely what the book speaks of.The book is hard hitting and chilling, and nothing prepares me for the ending, even though I knew where it was headed. It's a scathing satire on our socio-political system; and is probably going to irk certain sections of the society.Nevertheless, Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous, is a book not to be missed. I finished it in one sitting....more

There was a quote I read somewhere that goes, I might be paraphrasing, like this "If everything is funny, nothing is funny and if everything is sad, nothing is sad". This applies for Manu Joseph's latest book where every page has a joke or a quotable quote, often mired in its own smugness and unmissable sarcasm. It is as if Manu has decided to joke on everything and everyone and for every joke he writes on anyone else, he writes one on Modi. The result iEminently quotable yet decidedly average.

There was a quote I read somewhere that goes, I might be paraphrasing, like this "If everything is funny, nothing is funny and if everything is sad, nothing is sad". This applies for Manu Joseph's latest book where every page has a joke or a quotable quote, often mired in its own smugness and unmissable sarcasm. It is as if Manu has decided to joke on everything and everyone and for every joke he writes on anyone else, he writes one on Modi. The result is a mishmash of jokes, name-calling, mud-slinging, delectable writing interspersed with dollops of charm and lazy plotting.

While Manu's earlier works made me buy this immediately after its release, this is not a book by the Manu I came to love, but that of a journalist, who compartmentalizes people delicately into several religious, ethical and ideological groups, most of the time I wasn't sure I got the differentiation and can only guess what he is hinting at. May be people well versed in politics could get this "satire".

Not for me.

One star purely added for having the line "Sarcasm is the second lowest form of wit"...more

"Why don't you go live in Sweden?"" I don't hate this place", he says." You do. It whips you every day"."India is a wound,", he says in a professorial tone. "But it is not a wound like a whiplash. It is a wound,like a spouse".

Manu Joseph is back with his third novel. Unlike his previous two which featured less of Manu the Journalist, this novel feels more like a fictionalization of events and tropes familiar to any Manu fan. Nonetheless, the witty one-liners, the dark humour , the brave lampooni"Why don't you go live in Sweden?"" I don't hate this place", he says." You do. It whips you every day"."India is a wound,", he says in a professorial tone. "But it is not a wound like a whiplash. It is a wound,like a spouse".

Manu Joseph is back with his third novel. Unlike his previous two which featured less of Manu the Journalist, this novel feels more like a fictionalization of events and tropes familiar to any Manu fan. Nonetheless, the witty one-liners, the dark humour , the brave lampooning of everyone ( from Modi to Irom Sharmila) and the overarching theme come together to make a gripping tale.

The author warns that "A life without meaning is fragile,it can collapse any moment into purpose". He does not heed the warning himself and helps the novel collapse into a deep and moving purpose....more

I read "The illicit happiness of other people" recently and was blown away by the incredibly well fleshed-out characters whom you empathise with. I picked up this book hoping to find more of that but was disappointed. It has absolutely nothing in common with the previous book and the characters seemed to be the opposite.

Even if I keep the comparison aside and approach this book as a standalone product of the author, the book fails to evoke much interest in me. Barely do you feel for the characteI read "The illicit happiness of other people" recently and was blown away by the incredibly well fleshed-out characters whom you empathise with. I picked up this book hoping to find more of that but was disappointed. It has absolutely nothing in common with the previous book and the characters seemed to be the opposite.

Even if I keep the comparison aside and approach this book as a standalone product of the author, the book fails to evoke much interest in me. Barely do you feel for the characters; there is very little character development and they are just there, doing things that don't seem all that realistic. I believe the book is a satire but a satire falls flat if you don't care for the characters.

The author and his views are a mish-mash of views thrown about by a people in the current socio-political climate, and there is a lack of a unifying coherent thought in them. The author had the benefit of hindsight as he writes about real life events (with names changed). However the perspective of the author is one which belongs to the worst kind of fence-sitters, the ones who act like equal offenders to both the sides. In doing so, the attempt at humour is rife with stereotypes and rhetoric, bringing forth the worst of the lot in the forefront and camouflaging a lot of facts. This is a side of the author which he has been pushing hard with his recent pieces in newspapers/magazines and in his social media posts and it kind of seems to be geared towards the release of this book which seems disingenuous. An author as gifted as him doesn't really "need" to pull this. I seriously hope I am wrong about this, and that the book is a product of the metamorphosis and not the other way around.

I wouldn't discount any of the author's views though, there is definitely an underlying sense of realism to it, however the execution might be. While the story itself isn't much to talk about, there are passages where the author reflects on the nature of activism and empathy. I might not agree with a lot of his views but some parts do shine, most prominent among them being the part with the airplane ride and the business class - economy class divide which has been used as a fine analogy.

I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't. Maybe I am just too emotionally invested in the topic to be able to let it go. I am not nearly modest enough but would graciously accept that I am biased and hence wouldn't be most accepting of some of the author's views, but I am not too keen on his views for the other side too.I guess I'll have to read "Serious men" or reread "The illicit happiness of other people" to see the Joseph of a simpler time. I hate to see socio-political changes ruin good things (like Facebook, or social media in general), just hope this isn't one of those things....more

THERE ARE FACES only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most rational outcome of his own actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned. Cops who do not wear bulletproof vests break into a house to fight militants, and they are shot in their paunches. They stagger out looking bewildered. Tha

THERE ARE FACES only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most rational outcome of his own actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned. Cops who do not wear bulletproof vests break into a house to fight militants, and they are shot in their paunches. They stagger out looking bewildered. That baffled face, when boys fall off trains because they were dangling from the doorways, when illegal homes built on infirm soil collapse, when pilgrims are squashed in annual stampedes inside narrow temples.

A drastic departure from Manu Joseph's previous books, Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous may not seem as fiction to many. With a few cosmetic changes, this short, quick read brings the journalist in Manu Joseph back to the fore. The author spares nobody with the pen that transforms into a shotgun in his hand, and deftly strikes down the inflated ego of many. Biased as it may seem, the book displays what the author thinks about a case that shook India's conscience, and continues to emit aftershocks even today.

Maybe as a fellow Malayalee, I too must have felt the same about Miss Laila and the minor god that is Damodarbhai. It would be terribly unfair to the author to compare this book to his previous works, as Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous stands in a league of its own....more

A little over 2 stars, this book surprises me. The Illicit Happiness of Other People tops my list of 2016 reads and sadly this book doesn't live up to the expectations I had of Manu. The characters and the incidents that the book is based on are easily identifiable and lack a magic or punch or something. The story of Akhila's mom was an unnecessary add-on.

A fast read nevertheless, looking forward to read more of the author's exploration of human thoughts and feelings as in The Illicit HappinessA little over 2 stars, this book surprises me. The Illicit Happiness of Other People tops my list of 2016 reads and sadly this book doesn't live up to the expectations I had of Manu. The characters and the incidents that the book is based on are easily identifiable and lack a magic or punch or something. The story of Akhila's mom was an unnecessary add-on.

Underwhelming delivery built on a meaty premise. This is Manu Joseph's most overtly political novel yet, however I can't get rid of the feeling that the characters were written separately and cobbled up together to create a novel. Naturally, things are coming apart at the seams. Joseph pulls no punches, and drops names like anything. Akhila's story seems incomplete, not sure if that is intentional. Also could not get rid of the feeling that the book was much shorter than what it should ideally hUnderwhelming delivery built on a meaty premise. This is Manu Joseph's most overtly political novel yet, however I can't get rid of the feeling that the characters were written separately and cobbled up together to create a novel. Naturally, things are coming apart at the seams. Joseph pulls no punches, and drops names like anything. Akhila's story seems incomplete, not sure if that is intentional. Also could not get rid of the feeling that the book was much shorter than what it should ideally have been. Only probable reason I could think of is that the book was rushed, as the subject matter may not have been as relevant come next general elections. Anyhow, still a fan of Joseph's writing, and I will take him over whatever other contemporary Indian writers in English are churning out. Fingers crossed and hoping he did not peak with The Illicit Happiness of Other People....more

"One reason why the Muslim population is growing faster than the Hindu, Damodarbhai would never say it out loud, is that Muslims don't kill their girls in the womb."

One of the best books that I read last year was this amazing book by Manu Joseph. This story set up in the current political-social scenario and takes place in the course of a day. This book is full of sarcasm and wit. One is left baffled during many parts of the book even after being aware with the reality of it.

"There are faces"One reason why the Muslim population is growing faster than the Hindu, Damodarbhai would never say it out loud, is that Muslims don't kill their girls in the womb."

One of the best books that I read last year was this amazing book by Manu Joseph. This story set up in the current political-social scenario and takes place in the course of a day. This book is full of sarcasm and wit. One is left baffled during many parts of the book even after being aware with the reality of it.

"There are faces that only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned."

Two Story lines

This story consists of two story lines of a man stuck in debris giving accurate whereabouts of a Muslim couple leading towards a terrorist attack and Mukundun following the Muslim couple. The two stories blended effortlessly and I did not see the ending coming. The great insights of the characters including Miss Iyer playing pranks of the 'supposed' liberals, Laila who supports her entire family and simultaneous inclusion of small chapters consisting of minute details of these characters and others like Damodarji leading the country (get it?)

"When the elite of a system become the underclass in another system, they search for a moral cause to restore balance of power. This is popularly known as activism. Upon finding the moral cause, the elite co-opt, enlist and employ naive simpletons to fight the battle. Activism is always a retaliation of the elite, always couched in morals and always a feudal system where the strong employ the weak, the poor, the demented, the suicidal, the semi-literate and other losers of the society."

The ab

"When the elite of a system become the underclass in another system, they search for a moral cause to restore balance of power. This is popularly known as activism. Upon finding the moral cause, the elite co-opt, enlist and employ naive simpletons to fight the battle. Activism is always a retaliation of the elite, always couched in morals and always a feudal system where the strong employ the weak, the poor, the demented, the suicidal, the semi-literate and other losers of the society."

The above quote is really at the heart of this work where Joseph takes open shots at right- and left-wing activists. While it was amusing to see him make fun of interesting entities like the RSS, Arundhati Roy, men-who-claim-to-be-feminists, and so on, the book appeared, at times, to be an opinion piece rather than pure fiction.

In terms of the story itself, it is a quick-paced, apparently thrilling tale involving many real-life characters (feat. our current and beloved Prime Minister) who are thrown in the midst of some "rapidly" changing events. A man buried under the debris is mumbling the real-time movements of a Muslim couple, who are followed by an intelligence agent in suspicion of a terror-related activity. Listening to this mumbling man is the most interesting character, Akhila Iyer, who happens to prank and troll activists, pseudo-liberals, and also the RSS in her spare time. Even gets occasionally beaten up by thugs for her mischiefs.

The prose is light and breezy to read, even though it lacks that philosophical touch that Joseph put in his earlier two books (Serious Men and The Illicit Happiness of Other People). Chapters are generously sprinkled with Joseph-esque quotes of wisdom, which I truly cherished.

I enjoyed the book overall, the authorial commentary became a bit distracting at times. Interestingly, the most ironic thing that this book reveals is that perhaps Joseph isn't that different from the people he pretends to despise. With his heavily one-sided perspective of events and common presence of disproportionally strong female characters in his novels, he too, at the end of a day is an activist and possibly, a closet feminist.

Final Verdict: All that being said, the book is surely worth a read. If you're looking for a quick little lemon pie that you can gobble down in a minute, this may be worth a try. ...more

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. Truth be told, Manu Joseph is one of my go-to sparkling writers - I am of the firm belief that I can crawl into 'Serious Men' any day as if into an old boyfriend tshirt. Miss Laila, however, is a curious matter.

True to his style, Manu Joseph has some SPECTACULAR punch lines. Lines that kick you right in the (political as well as aesthetic) gut. They can make you shudder and chuckle at the same time, a quality that is simply a delight to behold.I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. Truth be told, Manu Joseph is one of my go-to sparkling writers - I am of the firm belief that I can crawl into 'Serious Men' any day as if into an old boyfriend tshirt. Miss Laila, however, is a curious matter.

True to his style, Manu Joseph has some SPECTACULAR punch lines. Lines that kick you right in the (political as well as aesthetic) gut. They can make you shudder and chuckle at the same time, a quality that is simply a delight to behold. The narrative, however is familiar and trite (I'm always wary of calling "political" plots trite, but I can't help it). It is one of modest writerly rebellion. But the views on feminism - if any - were just downright confusing. Is Manu Joseph ironic when he writes a female character who criticises mansplaining? In simple terms, what is our shining feminist beacon Akhila Iyer's point? She's a pretty annoying character to be honest. In fact, one of the most annoying ones I've read of late (possibly because she was sketched so poorly, with less than fifty pages devoted to her - this book could have been stellar with more attention to detail) As always, Manu Joseph's strength is in his lonely, poetic male character, Mukundan, whose sections are written quite beautifully with an ease and elegance that comes naturally to Joseph. Trust him to put rustic simplicity into gorgeously articulate writing. Whatever stars this book gets, it's thanks to Mukundan.

Closing remarks? This pretty line from the book needs to make the cut: "Far away a giant cruise ship sails across the bay, like a beautiful novel about nothing." And that's what these 200 pages were. A pretty novel written for the sake of capitalising on the political climate. Well. Keep sailing, Miss Laila. Keep sailing....more

I liked this book, mostly because of the weaving of the non-fiction in fiction. I wish more authors would do this because it brings to light how real-life events affect ordinary people. Otherwise, real life events remain in the domain of nameless and faceless people, soon forgotten in the era of fast-paced news cycles. Something about reading such real-life events through the lens of fiction, makes such events linger and thus, remembered.

The other reason that I liked the book is the brutal expoI liked this book, mostly because of the weaving of the non-fiction in fiction. I wish more authors would do this because it brings to light how real-life events affect ordinary people. Otherwise, real life events remain in the domain of nameless and faceless people, soon forgotten in the era of fast-paced news cycles. Something about reading such real-life events through the lens of fiction, makes such events linger and thus, remembered.

The other reason that I liked the book is the brutal exposure of the hypocrisy of the liberal left. I like that the book asks hard questions about what drives one to activism? What is the noble, self-less goal that that drives activists? Is there a moral high ground that is the domain of the left? Surely, it is more than fame, recognition, and awards? Yet, Manu Joseph parodies the left with simplistic situations and questions. He also makes the argument that only the elite of one system take up arms once they become the underclass in another system (E.g. Gandhi and Ambedkar). I do not think that is completely true because there are several liberal activists in India who have always been embedded in a system that disadvantages them. Painting all activists with one broad brushstroke is damaging and a little dishonest. Furthermore, since he is wielding the pen, he obviously has control over how dim-witted his liberal characters can be, and how clever his protagonist can appear. The exchanges between the liberals and the protagonist appear like annoying twitter exchanges. Having said that, Manu Joseph, asks the liberals for more introspection about their motivations and avoid arguments of the moral high ground because there isn’t any. There can never be any.

Manu Joseph is also at his funniest when he says, “There are faces that only an Indian can make. Like that baffled face when he is shocked by the most logical outcome of his actions. He crosses the road like a cow, and he is startled by a truck. A vehicle on the road? How? He walks across the railway track, and he finds a train hurtling towards him. A train on a railway track? He is stunned.” ROFL!...more

It’s probably fair to say that I am a huge fan of Manu Joseph’s fiction. I just love the wide canvas of his stories and the laugh out loud humour - something that’s tough to accomplish with words on paper. Combine that with a satirical commentary on the the Indian society, a plot that makes you turn the page and the approachability of the prose and what you get is a literary gem.

Manu exposes the fallacy in most popular social, political and economic structures, including myWhat a brilliant book!

It’s probably fair to say that I am a huge fan of Manu Joseph’s fiction. I just love the wide canvas of his stories and the laugh out loud humour - something that’s tough to accomplish with words on paper. Combine that with a satirical commentary on the the Indian society, a plot that makes you turn the page and the approachability of the prose and what you get is a literary gem.

Manu exposes the fallacy in most popular social, political and economic structures, including my own. But it’s done with so much wit, intelligence and charm that it’s hard to take offence. So I laughed at myself too - a refreshing change from doing so only at others, mostly, whose ideas I don’t agree with.

Illicit Happiness remains my favourite from Manu Joseph, but Miss Laila is a pretty perfect manuscript in what it is out to accomplish.

A brave interpretation of Ishrat Jahan's cold blooded murder by the Gujarat administration rendered in the characteristic sarcastic style of Manu Joseph. Certain sections were crude, there were a few 'laugh-out-loud moments' and for someone who follows the writer on Twitter many of his pet grouses - the activism of Arundathi Roy, Sainath, Irom Sharmila etc - were brutally mocked.

This was an incredibly disappointing read. Manu Joseph's last two books have been slow, engaging stories that hit you in the gut when they end. This one was boring and pretty damn pointless. The good parts are the ones where he details Akhila's "pranks". The rest of it is , for the want of a better word, incredibly blah.

"A life without meaning is fragile, it can collapse any moment into purpose". Manu Joseph remains the king of delightful epigrams. But a book needs more than just that and I felt like this book lacked both the depth and the empathy behind the cynicism seen in his previous work. His brilliant wit and scathing, sharp writing is ever present and there are no holy cows left untouched. He barely attempts to mask the names of the real people he is describing and his gutsy take down of some of them is"A life without meaning is fragile, it can collapse any moment into purpose". Manu Joseph remains the king of delightful epigrams. But a book needs more than just that and I felt like this book lacked both the depth and the empathy behind the cynicism seen in his previous work. His brilliant wit and scathing, sharp writing is ever present and there are no holy cows left untouched. He barely attempts to mask the names of the real people he is describing and his gutsy take down of some of them is hilarious. I was constantly chuckling through the read. Only he could think of hilarious tropes like a severed arm under a rubble groping a woman! The end was a very well done twist and something I didn't see coming. The last 20 pages were definitely the stand out for me.

P.S- This was my pick for the Popsugar prompt "a book about an anti-hero/villain" and I am pretty sure some of my family members will not be amused :O...more

Miss Laila is a work of fiction. Absolutely. If it flaunts (or you think it flaunts) any resemblance to the incident of fake (or real) encounter of Ishrat Jahan, then that’s only a coincidence. Nothing more. If the key characters - 19 year old Laila, Hindu-brahmin converted jihadist Malayali Jamal, Patriarch Professor Vaid of the ‘always’ right wing and most importantly our own Damodarbhai (Damo) – rings any bell or chhttp://rajeevaravindnair.blogspot.my/...

Miss Laila : Fictional & Dangerous

Miss Laila is a work of fiction. Absolutely. If it flaunts (or you think it flaunts) any resemblance to the incident of fake (or real) encounter of Ishrat Jahan, then that’s only a coincidence. Nothing more. If the key characters - 19 year old Laila, Hindu-brahmin converted jihadist Malayali Jamal, Patriarch Professor Vaid of the ‘always’ right wing and most importantly our own Damodarbhai (Damo) – rings any bell or checks any box, then that’s mere overthinking on your part. It has got nothing to do with what you think it’s all about.

Story starts with an earthquake and a delirious man trapped in the debris of a collapsed building in Mumbai. Circumstances have Akhila crawling through the debris, reaching the trapped man Mukundan and funnelling his message (which was a dying testimony, almost) back to the police on ground. The message that he delivers, about the 19 year old Laila and her Jihadi friend Jamal who are headed to Ahmedabad with explosives, sets a series of events in motion. The story is about those series of events.

The book also had that wonderfully surreal point in it when you as a reader realize that nothing is what it seems. And that you, along with some of the other characters, were taken for a ride. Literally. If I am to draw an analogy on what that point in novel actually felt like to me, I should hint at the book ‘Sophie’s World’ : (**Sophie’s World Spoiler Ahead**) The moment when Sophie realizes that she is not real. That She is just a character in the novel written by Albert knag. That she is just a figment of his imagination, A literary gift that he intends to present to his daughter Hilde on her birthday. The tipping point in the Novel by Manu Joseph, brought back to me the sensation that was familiar to me from Sophie’s World.

The writer who is known for being a steady political-centralist has kept himself distanced from the ideological right and hypocritical left. In the Novel, he seems to be playing himself behind the cover of Akhila Iyer, a social media prankster – who at the same time is anti-left and sore in the eyes of ‘patriarchs’.

My first book of Manu Joseph. Also happens to be my first in 2018. Was by all means a great start to 2018.